Triathlon?

This is a discussion on Triathlon? within the Off Topic & Humor Discussion forums, part of the The Back Porch category; Originally Posted by Hiram25
Get some counceling! No, in reality, work on your endurance. I know because I've been working on mine, and can now ...

Kidding. You definitely want to ease back into the exercise stuff. My advice is to start out with stretching routines to warm up your muscles. The shock of just rushing back after a long hiatus is going to be a bit much for them.

Build up your endurance by doing it a little at a time. I once went to some Kick Boxing class after a loooooong absence from Martial Arts. My thinking "like a bike, once you learn it's no biggie." WRONG. I was sore and hurting for nearly a week and that taught me a very valuable lesson.

You may also want to strength train, light weight and numerous repetitions just a couple days a week. This will also build up muscle and endurance.

1. Have a checklist, so you can be sure you are ready the night before. It's easier to get a good night's sleep knowing you have everything ready to go in the morning. I'll post one below that someone sent to me before my first tri last summer. It worked well for me. Also some advice on wetsuits, though I don't even own one yet. Florida isn't known for its cold water.

2. Pace yourself. This is your first one, so just finishing will be a PR. If you finish feeling great, but slower than you would have liked, you will be more likely to go home and sign up for your next one than if you kill it, and go home feeling like ****.

3. Enjoy yourself. An Ironman friend of mine said that Sprint tris are like marijuana: they are gateway triathlons. He was right. I did two sprints and an olympic last year (my first year), and I plan on doing as many as I can this summer. I might even try a half-ironman in the fall, depending on how I feel.

Triathlon Gear Raceday Checklist

In response to the beginner triathlete's broad question (we do get some
variation of this question almost daily), "What will I need to compete in my
first triathlon?", we recommend taking the simplistic view and breaking down
the triathlon into the 3 disciplines of swim, bike and run. Under each
discipline, the beginner triathlete will require items to compete, and some
items may be optional. Below, we have broken down the race into the
disciplines of swim, bike and run as well as a separate section for
transition.

Triathlon Transition Gear

.Transition bag - bag specifically designed to store and organize all of
your triathlon gear before and after the race .Towel or transition mat -
this is optional, but having a towel or transition mat can be invaluable as
an aid to prepare your belongings in an organized manner as opposed to
having your running shoes, race number belts, water bottles, cycling
helmets, etc. lying in the grass which can make it more difficult during the
transition from swim to bike and bike to run.
.Extra water bottle or tupperware with water to rinse off sand or dirt off
feet when transitioning from swim to bike.
.Bicycle Pump - if you need some extra air in your tires, it will come in
handy. If not, you will at least be a good Samaritan and help a fellow
triathlete in need.
Swim Gear

.Swimming Goggles - make sure to bring your favorite swimming goggles to the
race. A triathlete's worst nightmare begins upon realizing that his or her
goggles are sitting on the kitchen sink with the defogger. It is no fun
swimming the swim portion of your race with no goggles and burning eyes.
.Swim cap - triathletes are given a colored race cap by the race directors
during packet pick-up. Do not forget your cap!! Some races will not allow
you to swim without your colored cap.
.Triathlon Wetsuit - for a wetsuit legal race.
.Neoprene skull cap - for cold waters, a neoprene skull cap can make it
tolerable to place your head in the water.
.Bodyglide - if using a wetsuit (and even if not using a wetsuit), Bodyglide
will be instrumental in preventing chafing.
.Timing chip strap and timing chip - you have trained long and hard for your
triathlon. To ensure that your results show up in the newspaper or on-line,
do not forget to wear your timing chip. It is a terrible feeling for a
triathlete to be well into the swim before realizing that he or she forgot
the timing chip and race results will not be official.
Bike

.Cycling shoes - believe it or not, legendary stories do exist of
triathletes forgetting their triathlon cycling shoes on the day of the race.
Lucky for the elites, they are still talented enough to ride with running
shoes. For the everyday triathlete, make your life easier and remember your
shoes.
.Bike - no explanation needed. Make sure to affix race number to your bike
(usually around seatpost or on top tube). Also, have your bike tuned up in
the days leading to the race and ride it after the tune up to make sure
everything is functioning properly.
.Helmet - see above. Also, remember to affix the race number given by the
race directors during packet pick up to your helmet.
.Water bottles - don't forget your water bottles along with your sports
drink of choice.
.Nutrition - for longer races, make sure to fill your hydration bag (i.e.
bento box) with gels or your supplement of choice.
.Sunglasses - these are optional, but if you do use them, vented sunglasses
are recommended. Vented sunglasses promote better air flow and minimize the
chance of the lenses becoming foggy. Glasses that are not vented do tend to
fog up.
.Socks - optional. Many triathletes go sockless on the bike and on the run,
but if you prefer socks, make sure to use a pair that has done well for you
in the past.
.Bike gloves - optional. Again, many triathletes go without gloves on the
day of the race, but if you prefer gloves, bring a pair that you have used
before.
.Functioning cyclometer - remember to re-set before the race to ensure
accurate mileage and time reading during the race.
.Spare tubes, CO2 canisters, CO2 adapters - hopefully you will not need
them, but if you do happen to get a flat tire on race day, at least you will
be prepared.
Run

.Race number belt with number
.Visor or cap - for sun protection on a sunny race day .Running shoes - if
you wear orthotics, make sure that you have orthotics in your race day
shoes. It is not a good feeling to transition from bike to run and realize
that your reliable orthotics are sitting comfortable in your shoes that you
ran in the previous day.
.Running socks - optional. Many triathletes run sockless.
.Hydration belt - optional. For longer 1/2 Ironman and Ironman races, a
hydration belt is ideal to carry fluids, gels, salt tablets, etc., but in
shorter sprint and olympic distance races, most triathletes can manage with
nutrition supplied by the aid stations.

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Sleeveless and Fullsleeve Wetsuits

Selecting a sleeveless triathlon wetsuit (also know as a longjohn) or a
full-sleeve triathlon wetsuit will depend on a couple of factors.

Arguments for opting for a sleeveless wetsuit would be:

.The swimmer feels more flexibility in the shoulder area. Many swimmers feel
restricted in full-sleeve wetsuits in the shoulder area. Sleeveless wetsuits
will alleviate this feeling of restriction.
.Training and racing swims are in warm waters. Sleeveless wetsuits can
minimize any feelings of overheating.
.For swimmers with short arms in proportion to their legs, the sleeves on a
full-sleeve wetsuit may be too long resulting in excess space in the arms of
the wetsuit. Consequently, the possibility of water pooling into the arms is
more likely. If water does pool into the arms, any ballooning of water
inside the arms can make it difficult to have a smooth stroke. For swimmers
fitting this description, a sleeveless triathlon wetsuit can remedy this
problem.
.Sleeveless wetsuits will be easier to take off when transitioning from the
swim to bike.
Arguments for opting for a full-sleeve triathlon wetsuit would be:

.For swimmers who do not have feelings of restriction in the shoulder area,
most top brand wetsuits are very technologically advanced and do a great job
of making the neoprene thinner in the shoulder/underarm/latissimus dorsi
area to aid with flexibility.
.Training and racing swims are in colder waters. Full-sleeve wetsuits will
keep the body warmer in cold waters.
.Having full sleeves will result in less drag and a more hydrodynamic feel
In summary, a sleeveless wetsuit makes sense for the triathlete who is
racing and training in warmer waters and who needs more flexibility in the
shoulder area due to feelings of restriction when using a full-sleeve
wetsuit. Also, a sleeveless wetsuit may be the answer for the swimmer who
has shorter arms and can not find a full-sleeve wetsuit with short sleeves.
On the contrary, a full-sleeve wetsuit is ideal for the triathlete who races
and trains in predominantly colder waters and has no issues with
flexibility. The final decision on whether to opt for a sleeveless or
full-sleeve wetsuit is vital to the triathlete who continually strives for
improvement. Making the right choice is critical and will improve the
triathlete's chance of starting off the triathlon on a positive note.